*Ladies Only* Exercising through dysmenorrhea

Sun_Bunny305
Sun_Bunny305 Posts: 6 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I legit feel like I don't want to move, any of you ladies suffer from this? If so what exercises help you through it?

Replies

  • RadishEater
    RadishEater Posts: 470 Member
    Is this different from regular menstrual cramps?

    I find as long as my cramps aren't bad enough that I can't move, exercise helps "relieve" cramps. A long warm up helps alot.

    By relieve I mean, pushing myself in spin class into the uncomfortable but I can do this zone makes me forget about the cramps. Any uncomfortable due to intense exercise replaces uncomfortableness due to cramps.

    However as soon as I stop, they comeback in like 15 mins, but post exercise I have the benefit of endorphins and exercise reduces some pms hangry emotions.

    I think the most important thing is cutting yourself some mental slack on crampy days. If you set the bar low then it super easy to exceed it!
  • H2OisGood
    H2OisGood Posts: 12 Member
    Pardon my ignorance, would walking or just the fact of having movement help? I’m sorry you go through this. Out of curiosity I’ll research on this and see what I find out. Take Care.
  • Candyspun
    Candyspun Posts: 370 Member
    I have this (part of my endometriosis). What I do, is I make sure every workout when I'm not in pain, counts. This is because I know there is a chance I won't exercise, or at best, won't be able to go as hard when I have my period and the resulting dysmenorrhea. To answer another poster, it's definitely not like regular period cramps.

    During most periods, I have to spend a couple of days on bedrest. If this happens, I try to at least get five minutes of stretching in, because I use exercise as an anti-inflammatory, and it does help to take the edge off my pain. It doesn't get rid of it entirely, though!

    OP, I wouldn't put too much pressure on yourself if the pain makes movement so difficult. Most days of my period, just walking to the rooms I need to get to in the house feels hard enough! You also need to be wary of blood loss. For example, are you losing too much blood with this level of pain? If so, would you be able to handle much exercise, anyway? I lose too much blood while I have the dysmenorrhea happening, and I get too dizzy, light headed and out of balance to feel safe doing anything even remotely strenuous. I usually eat my minimum calorie allowance, rest up and make the most of my workouts during the rest of the month.
  • kdbulger
    kdbulger Posts: 396 Member
    Sometimes I exercise through it (mostly to reduce the hormonal mood symptoms) and sometimes I rest or walk only. It really depends and each day of each cycle is different.
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    edited August 2018
    I tend to just take a walk rather than my usual workout, and for sure don't have the energy for anything too stressing. I find the walk not only gets my heart rate up and burns some calories, but it can clear my head too. I personally would rather stick a chocolate covered fork in my eye than jump around or squeeze into a sports bra during those couple of days. Just do what you can do! Taking 2 or 3 days off from serious exercise isn't going to hurt anything.
  • FL_Hiker
    FL_Hiker Posts: 919 Member
    edited August 2018
    I usually rest on those days, I have endometriosis and it's excruciating. I've found exercise doesn't help in my case... as much as I love running I have to take it easy when I'm in pain. Today I was suffering while at a BBQ with friends, I played some volley ball, ran through an obstacle course but eventually had to stop and go sit down because of the pain. It really sucks but I try to just not let it control my life as much as I can. Somedays I can't enjoy doing the things I love. I struggle to eat at all on these days either and have constant migraines. Usually I stay in bed and rest if I can all day but life doesn't always allow for that.
  • happytree923
    happytree923 Posts: 463 Member
    I take Aleve (Advil also works) starting a few days before my period and it's way more effective than just taking the painkillers after my period starts. If you are taking Advil for cramps anyway it might be worth a try!
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
    i maybe walk. otherwise i eat at maintenance.
  • FireOpalCO
    FireOpalCO Posts: 641 Member
    Depending on the severity of the pain. Before I had my Mirena put in I was diagnosed as having abnormally heavy and painful periods. I couldn't get off the bed and was anemic. There was no way i was going to work out, I could barely function.

    Now I can quite often get rid of my cramps with a walk on the treadmill at a steep incline and some stretches.
  • Crafty_camper123
    Crafty_camper123 Posts: 1,440 Member
    edited August 2018
    You may talk to your doc about getting a prescription to help with the pain. In my teens and early 20's before I was on BC regularly my doc put me on Cataflam. It's just an NSAID that they typically prescribe for cramps. But it seemed to help and last longer then Midol, or Ibuprofen. Heating pads were a life saver for me as well. Especially those disposable Thermacare ones. I do not have much advice for working out, but dealing with the pain from cramps would help you have the energy to work out if you wish. (Among other daily activities) As others have said though, there is nothing wrong with just resting for a couple days either.

    ETA: Actually, birth control was the real game changer for me. I do not remember the last time I had a heavy flow, or severe cramping like I used to get.
  • tcunbeliever
    tcunbeliever Posts: 8,219 Member
    I stick to walking if the pain is intense...the exercise helps over time, but I totally cannot do intense cardio or weights when I am in agony...walking is good, walking makes me feel better.
  • Sp1tfire
    Sp1tfire Posts: 1,120 Member
    I started a seasonal BC to lessen the frequency and severity of my cycles and that's helped me more than anything. But as far as exercise goes, I find if I do leg day during my severe cramping it lessens the pain after a couple hours. it could be mental, me focusing on the different soreness and tiredness. But generally I just try to do a lighter version of what I normally do, walk, and stretch extra. Fish pose, Cow/cat alternating and cobra yoga poses also help me right when I wake up. Of course, If my cramping is so bad I can't eat much, I skip my workout since I cannot properly re-fuel my body. Hope things get better for you soon!
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,941 Member
    It depends. On the early phase in my period I usually want to move a lot. Do crazy strength workouts despite possibly being in pain. If I do then the rest of the mens is usually a walk in the park. It seems to relax my womb somehow. For the rest of the mens I usually don't feel like exercising, but that's ok as I only stop with my pill every 3 months or so. For me it's fine to not work out every day.
  • mkculs
    mkculs Posts: 316 Member
    edited August 2018
    I had terrible trouble from my first period until, a few years later, I made a very surprising discovery: if I ran some at the very first sign of a cramp, every discomfort vanished. I remember running fast for about 200 meters at 4 am once, and that was all it took. I couldn’t always do this, but boy did I try. Otherwise I was literally incapacitated for 24 hours and swore every month I was getting it all taken out. Fun times. Anyway, if you can give sprinting a try, go for it. I was a high school athlete at the time and still I had to sprint at the first sign; my overall fitness meant nothing. Good luck.
  • SlimmFit
    SlimmFit Posts: 37 Member
    edited August 2018
    Someday I hope to develop a meal plan to stick by on these severely painful days but walking and stretching is all the exercise I dare try
  • Candyspun
    Candyspun Posts: 370 Member
    Since posting on this thread last time, I’ve also become able to now do cardio during my period. Usually, I can do cardio for over an hour, but on my period I can now go for 30 minutes or less.

    I’ve found afterwards, I get extremely fatigued and really bad cramps start up again. So, I’ve learned not to exercise before going somewhere. I need to go back onto bed rest straight after, but at least I earn some more calories to play with.

    There’s no way I could do weight training during my period just yet, but I’m hoping in time I can build up to that, too.
  • corysmithsmail
    corysmithsmail Posts: 166 Member
    My periods are usually either completely hit or miss. Its weird, some periods I will feel like death warmed over and hate moving because of the cramps or I won't feel anything. Either way I am "blessed" to have them last 7 days and it's like a cow being slaughtered. So I just try and do what I can. Mainly focus on caloric intake since I know I'll probably be doing less exercise.

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